Automatic feeding device



Aug. 24, 1943. WQLFE 2,327,849

AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE Filed June 11, 1941 1%- l INVENTOR fiPbZE 6 Mal/"E Patented Aug. 24, 1943 Bruce, Elder Wolfe, Lancaster, Pai, s ig n .Ham ton ivfatehfi anw Lan0aster;=Pw-

. Application June 11, 1941,:Seltial.No-:397,645.

eams. rows-+96) This invention relates to automatic foeding devices and particularly to :devices adapted to feed and locate flat blanks in "position to be processed' I a The object of this-invention is"to{provide means andmethod forautomaticallyaligningflatblankS in orderly relation, periodically selecting one ot the aligned-blanks andimoving it to a predeten mined "location,

Another object is to provide a hopper-*scifor'mfld as to permit fiat blanks to lie horizontallytherein, and means "reciprocalole in "and-out "of the hopper and adapted'-to}automaticallypickup and vertically align a group of the blanks, while maintainin them in effectively horizontal ,positions. I H

Another object-is to provide automaticn eans adapted to align vertically a g roupof fiat blanks,

periodically select one of the ali gnedblanksgand move it to a predetermined locationuagainst astop member which has simultaneously and teme porarily beerrmoved. to. the locating position. I

haracte ermini; eoldf um r wi elm hingwieetthereon ton d. n Watch d al :F ior wil e-invention:th 'I e ing and ocatin ef i suehzlil nlrs t xtheirprocessposi 0min a p es hasr eeaa .difficu-lt and-'pa nstekineij a du whiehmeoeasitated ya iskil cd and fa t operat rllie b anl ahedr to :be picked up -;one by: one, and

carefully placed exact lo ati n in th ;p I

Since the blanks are relatively remalliyand the ec ssary PDSiijiQIl between the t:rlies critical, this methodrhasrheen ad fl eult and la ve y expo a ve onem Em-(example.:th rnorm nk before swagln s ppr metelrzw :thousandthsd an h in d ameter a d -.11-:th us. d hs t i k- After swae int,Jheblanhis approximetely inchi diamet r andiwth usaudths thick. :The le gth thaieet, includin -the th ckneseof the vblank is, for.on vsize..33thousandth aand fo another-siz 52 thousand ha' ilfheuonem on eensis s f rplaoinga flat blank Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will become apparent fromthe 'followinggescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. It will be. apparent that manych nges may be made in the details ofconstructio anrangement of parts a d ethod shown and described without departing from the spirit of "h invention afi'expre ed the .aeeoml any ng claims. I; therefore donot wishto he. jtedto the exact details of. construction,arrangement of parts and steps of the .method shown and ,des ri ed, as the-preferred.iormmmrhas .heena et forth by way of illustration. I

Fi I isa front elevat on of, theoerie emhodring the invent-ion;

FigJIis apartial plan view er themeehanism of the invention;

Fi 1 i a enlargeme tof the. e ntr-atpgr- .tion of FigeII; p

Fig. IV is asideelevation of khhttt1tl lgflf Fig. III;

F V i Might ie id e evationzof:

partner the structure of Fig.1;

Fig.'VI is an enlarged plan of a.-.blank after processing;

blank .01

be weenitw openings-th rein, endhoth of -wh o ha be n earetu .y tlealened and vfo mes W iew to makin metal new lirom th fiat qb anki into t tmallopeom ,o -t e'd-i -to formlinteg a eeton the flat blank under the swagi-ngiactionof the me a I .si e ttherd ea are carefully. formed to cause the m talnt ifi wimoath diepenin s, the lo ati n oithe.b anhhetween h slice is critical and; must he a curate :to .pe mit the ffeetive use .of the ma; I Thislx-leee eary.a eurafiyi .difiicult to obtain manually and keeps the eperatiQnof the Press relatirelrnow. event/1 h aslolled retorll'he device .oith e in ention provides means earl niethedlotaut matically se ct ng andexaet y poeitioniog tbeilatibl nks so as. to obviat the rriqra t dimeulties o t ine ab e Ant at i necessary is "toshovel a gro pof the bla s .illlto a hopp a d," hey. e. automati ally an qui kly ar esi th ouehthe se ect n D itionin .P Gr essing and removal steps of the operation. A relatirelyin sk d pe t -may be used and th work iscarrid out ata good rateofspeed and therejore the device o: this invention provides definite time and cpst savings over the prior. art method. An alternate structure designed; to give added eflleiencyto-the device, particularly when there n ron r aE W anks-in th M99 5 ne w i h automatigally-agitates the blanlgs in the hopper wit ou -,P r ane ii ps tt n "t ir 1 lat thori- Bont'al posit-ions.

es, one -.of, wh-ieh has two lsma l is similar to die 3 except that it has small vertical perforations 5 therein. 7 v

The die block 2 is so mounted in the press as to be stationary during the operation of the press,,-

and the die block I is so mounted. in the press,- l-

as to recurrently and forcibly move-up and down with respect to die block 2 so'-- as to bringabout' relative movement between the upper die; and

the lower die 4, and to process a flat blank therebetween in such a manner as to cause thema terial of the blank to flow into'the openings 5-inthe lower die ",4 andfor m integralfeet on the blank to the shape of the openings 5. Thes'eare preferably of a substantially circular cross-section and solid cylinder formation, although other shapes and formations may be produced if desired by calculated construction of the dies-and the openings inthe lower die. 1- 5 The flat blankswhichhrehandled by the device of this invention are each located-in a fi'at position to one side of and level with-the {top face of the lower die 4 and then pushed'intoposition on the top face ofthe low'e'r' die i. v

Simultaneously with the above mentioned pushing action, a stop member is' movedhorizontally to a position adjacent-meter) face of the lower die 4 and is at such a'level and opposite position with respect to the'approaching-blank as to provide a stop against which the blan k 'is pushed, thus locating it inthe desirdpo'sition on the top face of the lower die 4; 'As soon as the blank is thus positioned, thes'top member and t thepushing member are 'both reversed in their motionand withdrawn f rom the die 4, leaving the blankcn thedie d 'rea'd'y to be processed be tween die3anddie4.

After the blank has been swaged between'flthe dies and'the integralfeet formed thereon," it is preferably removed from ;'between"the"di'esfby first being pushed upward ,frombeneath to clear the newly formed feet from the die, andthen being air blown from between the dies. Thisre mo val, may be accomplished the above usual,

or other.suitable'manner. j

In order to provide a. surface on whichf the blanks may be pushed to positionfther'n on .the top surface of the dielkabasfeplate g I formedwith an'opening =1 centrally h eof, and off-a shape andfsize' correspond g' to, thellpper portion of the die 4: 'I'-he' bas f 1 a' i 6, 5 located with. the upper portion of the die; ositioned in the opening Tiof the base platelB and .yvithv-tlie ppersurfacesiof'the die 4. and base platefi sufi'iciently-level'fwith each other, topermit a .flat, relafivelivthiii bl k b bani hed .:W i1e.-.1yin fiat, from the. upper surface I the base plate fi to the upper surface ofthe die 4.

- The base plate 6 ismaintaineddn th e l abov e 7 described positionby supporting angle. brackets 8, which are vertically adjustable; :jT heSe; brackets arel'mounted cm the sides of theflie blolck 2 by means 0f 7 bolts The angle brackets, 8 are pro vided with vertical slots l0, and the bolts; Q-with plate 6 may be changed. 'I'hisis useful not only for the initial leveling of the top of base plate I 6 with thetop of die 4,but also for readjustment of the t'op'of base plate 6 tea lower or higher level when the die 4 has been worn or depressed through use or when a new or different top level dieis used in the place of die 4. a n The assembly for picking up, pushing, guiding and locating the blank is mounted on the upper surface of base plate 6 and includes a cover plate l2 for-a pusher bar [3. Pusher bar I3 is adapted to slide on the upper surface of base plate 6 toward and away from the die 4 in a slot M in the under-fside pf; cover. plate I2. Cover plate I2 is secured tolthelbase plate 6.

-= ;0n:- the opposite side of the die 4; the above mentioned assembly includes a cover plate 15 for a'locaterand-stop bar It. ,Locater bar 15 is .adaptedtoslide o-nthe upper surface of base plate-6 towardand away irornthe die 4 in'sub stantially opposite relation to the movement of v the pusher bar IS, in a slot l1 in the under side of cover plate! 5. base plate Covertplate l 5'is secured to the Movement f the pusher bar l3 and locator bar I V a bars l'Siwhich are secured to the die block I and to which thecam. barsare secured for vertical adjustment throughjbolts Z9 and associated w snersla msome}; the .cam bars 18. Verticalladjustmento f the cam bars may be made in b'rd'er tocha'nge the starting and stopping positionsof thepusher'land locater'bars l 3,and ll, orltocompehsate for aichange in thele'vel c'f'theQdie 4 .by wear or replacement.

, e; .The Jcambars -I 8 are substantially rectangular are I section with the narrowedges lying in the direction of ,p the ,movements' 5 of the pusher bar jt 'arid locater' bar I611, The connections of the cam'ibarsflliltofthe'supp'orting bars l9 are at points substantiallygequallyjand relatively distantly spaced laterally fronr'the upper die block 'l,-andextend downwardly andinwardly toward the lower die block 2. v f Coverplates' I 2 and I5, pusher bar l3,locater bar It, base plate 6, and the angle pieces 8 all have verticalcpenin'gs through whichrthe cam bars l8 pass as they move up and down with the upper dieblock ,l. The openings inallfo fthe above, however, except the pusher bar' wand the locaterbar I6,are' sufficientlyeigt endedjhorb zontally to permit the passage therethrough of than the other above mentioned openings and are,v only a small amount greater in horizontal extent than the cross sectionalisextent' of the cam bars l.8 ;in thejsame directiong-y I r 'The cam'sbarsivl 8; are angled withi.respect ,to

the vertical; and; as, the cam bars arevmoved block-l .duringthe:

through the 'o'peningsvof :the bars their 'up and down movement brings "about acamaction between them i and each of the :pusher and locater bars I3 and 16 respectively. ,-'A'ccordingly, asthe upper die block :l is moved-downwardly, the pusher and locater bars. 13 and I6 'arencammed away from the'die hand as the upper'die'blo'ck 'l is moved'upward, the pusher-and locater bars l3 and it are cammed toward the'die 4., Consequently, the pusher and locater bars '33 and i6 move and position a -blankon the died, while the die 3 is raised. These bars are then moved out of the path of the dies, leaving the blank on thedie -Subsequently,-the-die 3 is brought down toward thedie 4 inthe course of the operation'of the pressand the blank orarticle being swagecl, pressed, stamped, etc., is operated on.

. Each time the pusher bar 13 is moved away from the die 4, a fresh blank is fed to rest flat on the upper surface'ofbaseplate 6, ready to be picked up by thepusher bar, 53. This action is accomplished through the use of a vertical tube 22 having a group of vertically arranged and aligned, substantially horizontally, flat blanks therein. As one blank is removed from the bottom of the vertical group of blanks in tube 22 by the pusher bar 13, and the bar I3 is retracted, the next blank in the vertical alignment falls into ready-positionon the upper face of the-base plate 6 under gravital action aided by the pressure of the remaining vertically aligned blanks.

The tube 22 is attached to, and extends through, the cover plate l2. The lower end of the tube 22 is located vertically and closely adjc." cent the upper surface of the base plate 6. The distance between the lower end of the tube and the base plate is only slightly greater than the thickness of the blanks so as to permit only one blank at a time to be pushed. from under the aligned blanks andsupply tube 22 without otherwise disturbing the alignmentof .theblanks,

, The pusher barliihas its inner or blank contacting end formed as shown in Figs. III and IV, with aV shaped'depression 2-3 in the direction of the length of the pusher bar. This depression is adapted to receive the blank and aidin keeping itin line in the direction of the movement of the bar l3 while the blank is being pushed toward the die 4.

The bar I3 has a slot '24 in its top portion which is of such depth that the remaining thickness of the bar is able to pass beneath the lower end of the tube 22 and yet prevents the next blank in line from leaving the tube 22 until the pusher bar l3 has been cammed away from the die 4 far enough to permit the next blank to drop from the tube 22 to the base plate 6 and within or in line with the V recess 23.

The locater bar I6 has, at its inner or blank contacting end, an overhang 25 which is of sufficient height above the base plate 6 to allowa blank to be pushed beneath it, and which acts as a holding device to keep the blank from snapping up when pushed against, the locater bar l6 by the pusher bar [3. The setback 26 of the overhang 25 is calculated, as are also the dimensions and contours of the push bar E3, the cater bar It, and the cam bars l8, to bring the blank to such a location on the top of the die I as will take the greatest advantage of the special construction of the operating faces of the dies. The metal of the blank is thereby caused to flow into the foot forming holes 5 of die 4 and'the feet 21 (Fig. VII) on the blank 28 are properly located.

' 2.2,and adapted to engage the slo 33.

are readily apparent from a reading The supply tube 22 is. fed from a hopper 29 mounted on the die block I and is adapted to move up and down therewith. The outlet tube 300i the hopper '29 fits over the upper end of the supply tube 22 in a sliding fit, so-that the relative movement between the die blocks I and '2, in the course'of theop'eration of the press in which the blocks are mounted, causes the supply tube 22 to move in and out of the main body or" the hopper 29. The extent to which the tube 22 moves into the hopper may be varied by adjustment of the hopper up or down through the use of the lock screw 3|. i i

The hopper 29 is formed with a substantially fiat inside bottom portion 32 of such lateral dimension-as to permit the blanks to lie effectively fiat thereon. When the upper end of the tube 22 enters the hopper, the blanks are lying in effectively horizontally flat positions and tend to drop straight into the tube .22 without falling edge first or partly canted in such a way as to jam or block the tube. V The alternate structure of Fig. VIII illustrates the hopper 29 having an angled slot 33 in the outlettube 3t, and a pin 34 secured to the tube The hopper. 29 is held on the die block i through the holding action of the brackets 35 on the flange As thedie block l is moved up and down and the tube 2-2 moves in and out oi. the hopper 22, the pin 35 engages the slot '33 and causes the hopperZS'to rotate first in one and then in the opposite direction. This motion is designed to 'so 'shu ffie theiblanksvlying in the hopper 29 as tomove them into alignme'n't with the tube 22 so that they'may readily be picked up, while keeping them in substantially flat positions in the hopper29. Also any of the blanks which are edge down or cante'd'in the'ihopper will be agi tated so as to'ten'dto make them lie fiat, by the rotary'motion ofthe hopper 2G.

V-arious other constructions and modifications of the specifications.

What I claims: i 1. In adevieefor formingintegral pins on fiat blanks, an automatic feeding device comp-rising a hopper, an aligning device mounted for reciprocatory relative movement with respect to said hopper and adapted to periodically pick up and align groups of blanks from the hopper, means adapted to produce in said hoppera movement of agitation difierent from and in addition to said reciprocatory relative movement, and a selection member adapted to periodically and successively pick out one of said blanks from said aligning device and move it to a predetermined position in said device.

2. In a device of the character described, an automatic feeding device comprising a hopper adapted to permit fiat blanks to lie in effectively .horizontally fiat positions therein, an aligning controlled movement toward and away from said lower block, a horizontally extending base plate mounted on said lower block and having a vertically extending horizontally elongated opening therethrough on each side of said lower block, a cover bar mounted on each end of said base plate, having an opening in alignment-and coextensive with one of said base plate openings and a longitudinally extending downwardly facing slot, a work control bar slidably mounted in each of said slots and having an opening therethrough in alignment with and of less horizontal extent than the opening of its associated cover bar, a pair of cam arms mounted on opposing sides of said upper die block each extending through the opening of one of the cover bars, one of the work control bars and one side of the base plate, with the dimensions and contour of said cam arms being such that movement of said die blocks relative to each other will produce, through said cam arms, movement of said work control bars relative to each-other, and means adapted to feed workpieces through one of said cover bars'to rest on said base plate .in position to be moved by one of said work control bars.

4. In a device of the character described, a pair of die assemblies arranged for controlled relative movement with respect to each other, a pair of work control members mounted on one of said assemblies for sliding movement with respect to each other, one of said members being adapted, by virtue of a horizontally recessed end, to push a workpiece into operative position between said die blocks without horizontal deviation from the line of push, the other of said control'members being adapted to form a stop for said workpiece adjacent said operative position and, by virtue of an undercut end, to prevent vertical displacement of said workpiece as it is pushed into said operative position, and a pair of rigid cam arms mounted on the other of said assemblies, each of said arms adapted to impart movement to one of said control members upon relative movement between said assemblies.

5. In a device of the character described, a pair of die assemblies arranged for controlled relative movement with respect to each other, a workpiece feeder member and a workpiece stop member each having an opening therethrough and mounted for sliding movement on one of said I die assemblies, supply means adapted to guide a workpiece into operative-position with respect to said feeder member, and a pair of cam arms rigidly secured to the other of said assemblies and each extending through the opening of one H of said members, said arms being adapted, upon relative movement of said assemblies toward each other, to pass through and to so bear on a side of their respective opeings as to impart a sliding movement to said members sufiicient to cause said feeder member to impel a workpiece into operative position between said die assemblies and to position said stop member-adjacent said operative position between'said die members.

6. In a device of the character described, an

automatic feeding device comprising a hopper member, an aligning member adapted to periodically pick up and align groups of blanks y from said hopper, means adapted to agitate said hopper including a fixed pin on one of said members and a transverse slot on the other, and a selection member adapted to periodically and successively pick out 'oneof said aligned blanks v er member, cam members adjustably carried on I one of said die assemblies and engaging the workpiece feeder member and said workpiece stop member to operate said members to properly position said workpiece with respect 'to the die assemblies.

8. In a device of the character described, a pair of die assemblies arranged for controlled relative movement 'with respect to each other; a workpiece feeder member, a workpiece stop member, supply means for guiding a workpiece into operative position with respect to said feeder member, cam members independently adjust ably carried on one of said die assemblies and engaging the workpiece feeder member and said workpiece stop member to operate said members to properly position said workpiece with respect to the die assemblies.

BRUCE ELDER WOLFE. 

